Bedford Blues return to British & Irish Cup action this weekend as they make the long journey north of the border to face Melrose on Sunday afternoon. The Goldington Road outfit take the opportunity to rotate the squad a little following a bruising Championship encounter against Plymouth last weekend with only five players from that starting XV getting the nod this Sunday. As the Blues travel past Hadrian’s Wall and into the relatively unknown, Mike Rayer hands over the reins for this fixture to Martin Hynes who is supported by coaches Matt Volland and Paul Larkin with all three looking for a big game from those handed a starting jersey. Forwards coach Hynes said: “We’ve had a great run so far in the British & Irish Cup with a 100 per cent record but we face a big, big challenge on Sunday against Melrose who will certainly not want us turning up and having everything our own way. “The truth is that we don’t know a great deal about Melrose but we’ve had a look at the DVDs, seen what they can do and it looks as though they could cause us a lot of problems. That said, we’ve...
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The Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks will play a Test match and contest the Hillary Shield against England at the end of their 2012 northern tour. This evening, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced that the All Blacks would be the last of four nations to face England at home as part of the QBE Internationals in November and December 2012. England will also play Fiji, Australia and South Africa at Twickenham before facing the All Blacks on 1 December 2012. New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) CEO Steve Tew welcomed the match as the continuation of a great new tradition to compete for the shield, named in honour of great New Zealand adventurer, the late Sir Edmund Hillary. “England and New Zealand have contested the Hillary Shield three times since it was introduced in November 2008. We have managed to keep possession of the Shield so far – but like any other opposition you cannot take a battle against England for granted. The adventure of rugby on the field when these two sides meet is a fitting tribute to a great adventurer and a great New Zealander,” he said. The Test match against England is in addition to the...
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Ravens coach Gary Longwell has named an experienced team to take on Doncaster in their opening British & Irish Cup game on Friday evening at Deramore Park. Eleven of the starting XV have played for the senior team in a competitive fixture, while the other four were all involved in pre-season friendly against Neath. Callum Black is named at loosehead prop as he continues his efforts to return to the senior squad following a neck injury earlier in the season. He is joined by experienced hooker Nigel Brady and 22 year old development prop Adam Macklin. Neil McComb will partner Tim Barker in the second row, while Ali Birch, Mike McComish and Robbie Diack will combine in a dynamic back row. Ballymena’s Blane McIlroy and Dungannon’s Paddy Jackson will form the half back pairing, with Phoenix Academy player Chris Farrell partnering the experienced Ian Whitten in the centre. Academy trio Chris Cochrane, Michael Allen and Peter Nelson will make up an exciting back three. Ireland U20 captain Niall Annett is among those among the replacements, which is largely drawn from the Academy. Two familiar faces will return to Ulster in the shape of Doncaster fullback David McIlwaine and flanker...
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The Knights travel to Belfast Friday to face Ulster in the British and Irish Cup, aiming to resurrect their season with an away win in a competition they are giving serious commitment to. Brett Davey has handed a debut to his newest signing, young centre Fred Burdon, who is pitched straight into the fray as he starts at outside centre, despite having yet to appear on the bench. The former Cambridge Blue has slotted well into the squad during training and will be keen to lay down his claim for a regular jersey. It will also be an emotional homecoming for two of the Irish province’s former players. Full-back David McIlwaine has been handed a starting berth as he attempts to showcase his progress under DOR Davey in front of his boyhood club, also assuming the kicking responsibilities. Flanker David Bradford has been granted his first start in five games against the Ravens, and he will be hoping to impress opposite the side he left in the summer at Deramore Park on Friday. Three other Irishmen – Michael Noone, Royce Burke Flynn and Zack Farivarz – also make the squad and will hope to use their experience of provincial...
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Aberavon’s visit to London Welsh on Saturday in the British & Irish Cup is sure to conjure more than a few nostalgic memories for Exiles head coach Lyn Jones, not least because his father Peter scored 100 tries for the Wizards. A flanker like son Lyn, Peter Jones played for Aberavon from 1955 to 1965 and was the club’s leading forward try scorer until 2004, when his record was broken by Richard Morris – currently the club’s all-time leading try scorer with 148. Peter Jones remains, however, one of only 11 players to score a century of tries for the Wizards, and along with Morris the only other forward to do so. The Jones family Aberavon RFC connection, though, doesn’t end there. Lyn’s brother Ashley, also a flanker, spent three seasons at the club and cousins Brian and Jeff, and David Edwards also played for the Wizards. Lyn, however, would break with family tradition. “When it was my turn, things had changed – my father had passed away,” said the London Welsh head coach, whose family hail from the nearby village of Cwmafan. “Aberavon offered me an opportunity to play my way into their squad, while Neath invited me...
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